


Comfort

by bluebells



Series: Optional Paz/Din continuity [1]
Category: The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Cultural Identity, Flufftober 2020, Gen, Is this pre-slash? Reader's choice, More drama than fluff honestly, Set during s01e03, Testing loyalties
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:49:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27081469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluebells/pseuds/bluebells
Summary: "Are you still upset with me?" Paz teases, once Din has settled into his meal.Din grunts. "I'm always upset with you."Written for the prompt: comfort
Relationships: Din Djarin & Paz Vizsla
Series: Optional Paz/Din continuity [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1980532
Comments: 19
Kudos: 229





	Comfort

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally shared on Twitter as part of the fictober exercise where I write whatever whenever from the fcktober, whumptober, cocktober and flufftober collection. At the end of each week, I'll clean up the drabbles and share them on AO3. To read as they're released, [go here](https://twitter.com/bellsyafterdark/status/1313761868230475776).

The Alor's hammer rings through the long corridors, a strong and steady pulse of their hereditary craft coming into form.

After the crowd has dispersed with the beroya’s return, Paz passes the forge more than once. Curious, he peers within. Alor is flanked by her apprentices. On the low table at the forge's mouth, Din kneels in the same place and position Paz left him two hours ago.

He suspects Din hasn't fed himself since returning and he won't be deterred by the hostile silence. Din has a poor habit of forgetting to look after himself. It has often fallen to Paz and other elders of the covert to maintain their beroya's armour, inspect the Crest's state under a guise of hired help and, when Din has returned to their sanctuary, remind him to eat. To rest. Paz doesn't think Din will rest tonight.

Din startles gently at the touch on his shoulder.

Paz inclines his head for Din to follow, lingering until the shorter man shakes his head, wearily climbing to his feet, and falls in step behind. 

He vibrates with tension. Perhaps he expects Paz to challenge him again, but they had both been put in their place.

Paz seats him at one of the tables in the mess hall and places a hot, steaming bowl before him. Din seems distracted. What quiet storm is he brewing tonight?

"Eat," Paz orders, taking his seat across the table.

Like all tables in the covert mess hall, partitions divide their seats facing forward and on both sides. However, the partitions do not reach the table top. Din's helmet is set down with a dull thunk and Paz hears his spoon stir the bowl, watching the shadow of his motions. 

"Are you still upset with me?" Paz teases, once Din has settled into his meal. 

Din grunts. "I'm always upset with you."

Paz smirks.

"Are--" Below the partition, Din's spoon hovers above his bowl. His voice is small, uncharacteristically vulnerable. "Are _you...?"_

No, it's not so uncharacteristic. Rare. Telling.

Paz feels the smile slip. He inspects the inner seam of his gloves where the leather is wearing down. "The Imps who hired you." It galls him to think it; 'hire' is too decent. "Are they still alive?" 

"... Yes."

"Hmm." That is disappointing. Paz flexes his glove with a scowl, rolling his wrist. The air thickens but Din doesn't try to apologise. Wise. It would only make things worse. Paz wonders if Din is disappointed in himself, too.

Mandalorian beskar is valued for its fortitude and scarcity, valued even higher among the Empire who touted it as proof of their victory over the greatest warriors the galaxy had ever known. That boast was currency in itself. Why part with it?

"Tell me of your bounty," he prompts, curiousity winning out.

Din's spoon clinks against his steel bowl. "It's against protocol. Deed's done." 

Paz's gaze snaps up and he glares hard at the partition, incredulous. "You place _that guild's_ code above our own?"

Din has been away for too long if he would insult their way so easily. He must realise going twice with Paz in one day is a foolish venture because he sighs, relenting, "It was... secretive. Contested."

"A Republic target?"

"A child."

Paz’s heart thuds in his chest. A _child?_

 _Our survival is our strength,_ the Alor’s words brace him, but… a child? 

"Did you remove it from its family?"

"It... was alone." Somehow, that is worse than Paz expects. His chest constricts with a sympathetic pang and he closes his eyes. "A high price," he murmurs, frowning.

 _The foundlings are the future._ Paz doesn't know what the other elders discuss when they take Din aside but Paz is sorely reminded why he so rarely asks after the nature of Din's work. He wants to yank Din through the partition and question his sanity once more.

If it were Paz, he would find a way to provide for their people without falling so morally bankrupt. There had to have been another way. Trading with their murderers in the stock of _children?_

The notion of lingering in Din's presence any longer is unbearable.

The stool scrapes as he stands abruptly. Din's side of the partition is deathly quiet.

"Finish your meal," he manages, strained.

In his mind's eye, he imagines a younger Din at his arm, eyes large and wet in appeal, _Tell me how to fix this._ But they're not children anymore. Paz leaves without a further word and Din doesn't try to stop him.

The next morning, Din is gone. Word travels in his wake, hushed awe among the 'ade of the gleaming figure he cut in his new beskar'gam.

The knowledge of a Mandalorian aboveground so proudly wearing their steel should have been something to celebrate, but Paz cannot wash the sour taste of the cost. It feels too high. All day, it troubles him. For the covert, for Mandalore, what would Paz _not_ do?

It is nearly evening when the scout comes barreling through the corridors, frantic. "The beroya is under attack! The guild descends on him!"

Paz emerges from the Alor's forge to listen, frowning. 

"They say he stole the bounty! He is fleeing!"

Blinking in surprise, relief surges through him. On its tail: pride. So, Din flees with the child and does not plan to bring this conflict back to the covert. Din chooses well, even outnumbered. For the first time in too long, Paz recognises his old friend in the decision.

Beneath his helmet, he smiles.

He glances down to the Alor at his shoulder who has also come to witness the commotion. She looks up at him, a lifetime of mission and trust silently exchanged in a moment. She nods.

Paz's smile widens into a grin. His voice booms through the halls. "Mandalore!"

The ripple of excitement is immediate but disbelieving. Under Din's provision as beroya, the covert has endured its longest time without the need for outright conflict. That time ends now. Mandalore protects its own.

"Mandalore!" Paz bellows, storming through the stunned ranks. He pulls the heavy gun from his back, weighing the barrel with relish. "Oya'cye! Kyr'am!"

The covert comes alive at the old chant.

"Mare'cye!" They answer. 

Not loud enough. "Darasuum!" Paz challenges, and they're swarming him now, three file deep and armed, ready. 

"Oya!" The corridors tremble underfoot and he feels the ghost of their ancestors beside them in the tide of their roar. "Oya, Manda!"

///

Din seems stunned at their arrival. Paz is just relieved he's still alive or all of this would have been for nothing.

"You're going to have to relocate the covert," Din sounds choked, difficult.

The coverfire of their people rain in answer.

"This is the way."

**Author's Note:**

> sometimes comfort can be the realignment of your compass after difficult conversations with people who are your True North, and the reassurance that comes from reaffirming you can still be frands-- and maybe something more in the future, who knows? not me
> 
> also, did I butcher the pre-battle chant? I love to be educated, kindly correct me in the comments
> 
> Come chat with me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/bellsybuilds)!
> 
>  **Permissions:** You do not need to ask for permission to make translations, podfics, fanfic or fanart for any of my stories-- I do ask that you link back to my original work and let me know because I would LOVE to share what you've created.


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